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A report has revealed the challenges facing the creators of comics, even though the sector is enjoying commercial success. The UK Comics Creators Research Report presents findings from a survey conducted by the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, the Association of Illustrators(AOI) and the Society of Authors (SoA), which showed that almost 90% of respondents who…
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There’s a real treat on offer for fans of bestselling Scottish crime novelist Aline Templeton, many of whose novels are based in Dumfries and Galloway. Her new novel, Truth to Tell, is published by Allison & Busby on May 22, 2026: ‘It is a bitterly cold night, with rain falling and an edge of snow.…
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Another Handy Hint for emerging writers facing the challenges posed by starting the writing process can be found at Handy Hints – Plotting, which can be accessed off the main menu on the home page. Summing it up, it’s ‘be yourself.’
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As someone who lived in Darlington for many years, including more than two decades running creative writing classes in the town, I am delighted to be able to give this excellent initiative a mention: Creative Storytelling Workshops Darlington library, every Thursday 12:00- 2:00 Join a series of welcoming creative workshops at the Centre for Local…
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Regular readers of this website will know that from time to time, I drop in free gratis Handy Hints for emerging authors and the latest one recalls a piece of advice from legendary crime fiction editor John Hale (pictured here) when it comes to plotting. You will find it in in Handy Hints – Plotting…
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The Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival will take place in Harrogate between July 23-26, 2026, and will feature more than 140 crime and thriller writers, making it the biggest event in the Festival’s twenty-three-year history. The line-up of bestselling authors and crime fiction names includes Richard Armitage, Ardal O’Hanlon, Denise Mina, Val McDermid, M.W.…
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Publishing has become ever more complex and emerging writers trying to break into the crime fiction market are an example of the need for them to know exactly what they write. It is no longer enough to pitch to a publisher or agent saying that you write ‘crime’ because the category has become more complicated…
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I thought that an update on my crime novels might interest my readers, so here goes. Book number 27 is currently undergoing editing (and will be published by The Book Folks, an imprint of the award-winning Joffe Books) and it’s a DCI John Blizzard one (the previous book to appear was Murder in the Pennines,…
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Here’s a Handy Hint for if you run into writer’s block. Try doing something completely different to clear your mind. Personally, I use gardening. At first, I thought it would make me think of nothing and so create space for thoughts of writing when I was doing the various jobs, weeding and the like. However,…
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Crime writers May Rinaldi and Jackie Baldwin joined fantasy author Sarah Burchett-Cook and fellow writer Geoffrey Lindop to meet readers and sign books at the Garden Fair staged by Threave Gardens, near Castle Douglas, on Bank Holiday Monday (May 4). May’s debut novel Liar Thief was recently published to much critical acclaim and Jackie has…
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John Dean - Crime Writer 